Jessica Zafra's latest book is now available at Fully Booked, Shopee, and other stores

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From the author of the Twisted series comes a collection of 27 stories from the last 27 years. The Collected Stories of Jessica Zafra contains award-winning fiction from Manananggal Terrorizes Manila (1992) and The Stories So Far (2014), plus new stories and an introduction by Don Jaucian.

“Jessica is a natural short story writer, and I don’t know anyone else in the Philippines writing in English who does it as well as she does. The fact that she’s a Filipina couldn’t matter less. She would be recognized anywhere on earth that good English is read. But of course in this fatuous world the unmerited hegemony of “English” literature (including of course American, Canadian, Australian, etc. etc.) reminds us that it still fancies itself as the arbiter of the Real Thing. But plenty of us round-eyes know that’s baloney, and JZ provides us with ammunition to stand up in public and say so.” – James Hamilton-Paterson, Whitbread Award-winning author of Gerontius, Playing With Water, Seven-Tenths, Ghosts of Manila, and the bestselling Cooking With Fernet Branca and Empire of the Clouds

The Collected Stories of Jessica Zafra is published by Ateneo University Press. SRP P345. Now available at Fully Booked stores, Solidaridad, Popular Bookstores, the Ateneo University Press bookshop, Loyola Bookshop, and on Shopee. Coming soon at Mt.Cloud Bookshop in Baguio and other outlets.

Book signings and author talks will be announced soon. Follow @jessicazafrascats on Instagram and the JessicaRulestheUniverse Facebook page for announcements and updates.

Three ways to a fearless self-expression, brought to you by Olay and Lazada 11.11 Celebration

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MANILA, NOVEMBER 2019 – People are naturally drawn to create human connections, and the better we are in self-expression, the stronger the connections we build. Self-expressions, however, may not come instinctively to some of us; 2 out of 3 people have experienced feeling afraid of expressing themselves, or sharing what they truly feel because they feared people would judge them or because they just don’t really know how to accurately express themselves.

Our need for self-expression has allowed us to constantly find creative ways to convey our emotions whether through pictures, hashtags, or emojis. In a recent study showed that 78% have used slang terms while 64% of them actually use emojis and slang words more than 5x a day when they communicate whether verbally or written, whatever the form is, we need to show the world who we are and how we feel.

Olay is one with all the women who want to fearlessly express themselves sans the fear of being judged. Introducing the Olay limited-edition packs that hope to inspire women to be more confident to share what they feel inside to the outside world. These Olay limited-edition packs bring to life the fun and colourful expressions of the Millennials via some of the classic and popular hashtags, slang terms, and emojis of this generation.

#GOAT

Did you know that #GOAT stands for Greatest of All time? Best to describe the Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream because it’s a timeless classic that continues to deliver results over the years and continues to be part of many women’s skincare routine. This moisturizer has proven its benefits through generations and continues to be #GOAT.

#SLAY

Basically, this means to impress or amuse. #SLAY with Olay Whips, one of the newest editions to Olay’s line-up. Whips challenge skincare norms and is absolutely slaying it with its revolutionary technology. Its lightweight, non-greasy formulation has slayed the traditional skincare routines – why worry about being oily when you can #Slay with Olay Whips!

#LIT

Need I say more? Achieve a #LIT glow up from within with the Olay White Radiance Essence. This new-generation essence helps women #GlowUp and radiate confidence to be the brightest they’ve always aspired to be.

How you present yourself still plays a very important role in effectively expressing yourself. Maintain a clear and radiant skin and continue to #GlowUp with the Olay Power Duo. The Olay White Radiance Light Perfecting Essence and Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream work together to reveal a healthy, plump and radiant skin—making you fearless to express yourself.

OLAY x LAZADA 11.11 CELEBRATION

Never again will you be afraid to express yourself better with Olay’s limited-edition packs available this November 11, 2019 on your Lazada app or Lazada page. (Lazada link)

Eye Health Services Part of Universal Health Care --- DOH

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An estimated 2.2 billion people around the world suffer from vision impairment. Yet the first World Health Report on Vision, recently by the World Health Organization (WHO), reveals that half of them, or about 1.1 billion, do not receive the care they need for conditions like near and far sightedness, glaucoma, and cataracts.

Forum on World Report on Vision 2019 press conference (L-R): Dr. Andreas Mueller, Regional Advisor, World Health Organization (WHO) and Dr. Leo Cubillan, Director, Philippine Eye Research Institute (PERI)

Based on the 2018 Philippine National Blindness Survey and Eye Disease Study conducted by the Philippine Eye Research Institute of the National Institute for Health, vision impairment and blindness rank among the major concerns in the country with a current prevalence rate of 1.98%. This represents 1.11 million Filipinos with cataract, 400,000 with uncorrected error of refraction, almost 300,000 with glaucoma, and 200,000 with maculopathy. Additionally, there are over 4 millionFilipinos living with undiagnosed eye problems that need to be addressed.

Although the prevalence of bilateral blindness due to cataracts and errors of refraction has decreased in the past years, there are still thousands of Filipinos with moderate to severe vision impairment.

“We are fortunate that these diseases can be treated with surgery or prescription eyeglasses. These can also be easily prevented with regular consumption of Vitamin A, injury prevention, and immunization for measles and rubella that cause vision impairment,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque emphasized.

In line with the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law, the Department of Health (DOH) is gearing toward providing comprehensive eye care services, integrating eye care within local health systems, and responding to emerging eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

“Through the primary care provider network that will be institutionalized under UHC, we hope to bring easy access and seamless referral to ophthalmic units, comprehensive eye centers, and national ophthalmic specialty centers. These health facilities will be capacitated to deliver the appropriate eye care services,” Duque explained.

The country’s Prevention of Blindness Program is revamped with the issuance of revised policies, aligning the program with UHC and WHO’s goal of universal eye health, while ensuring that it remains responsive to the changing trends in blindness and visual impairment.

“The DOH is fully committed to working with our partners to address blindness and visual impairment in our country. Together, we can achieve our vision of Filipinos enjoying the right to sight, with no one going needlessly blind or visually-impaired,” the Health Chief concluded.

Jollibee just launched Cookies ‘n Cream Sundae Twirl! Oreo lovers, rejoice! It’s time to head to the nearest Jollibee store to try the creamy, crunchy cookie sundae goodness.

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Jollibee, the country’s number one fast food brand, just announced their latest addition to their roster of delectable desserts – the Cookies ‘n Cream Sundae Twirl!

A new twist to our favorite Jolly Twirl, you can now experience the thicker and creamier vanilla soft-serve now encrusted with crushed Oreo cookies, with sweet white chocolate coating, and topped with a whole Oreo cookie!

“The mix of crushed cookies, with white chocolate coating, and a whole Oreo on our popular soft-serve ice cream is a delightful combination we can’t wait for everyone to experience,” said Kay Segismundo, Jollibee’s Senior Marketing Manager for Complementary. “The awesome new Cookies ‘n Cream Sundae Twirl is the perfect treat for any time of the day!”

Treat yourself to a wonderfully-sweet Cookies ‘n Cream Sundae Twirl for only P39! It’s available for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru at all Jollibee stores nationwide.

For more updates on Jollibee products, don’t forget to like Jollibee Philippines on Facebook, subscribe to Jollibee Studios on YouTube, and follow @jollibee on Twitter and Instagram.

Jolly Mushroom makes daily “ulam” mush-delicious

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Mushrooms - one of our favorite ingredients in some of our cooked-meals. Why? They are nutritious, delicious and when using our go-to method, they are simple to cook! Whether they're the star of the dish or just an ingredient, these mushroom recipes will liven up your table.

The country’s leading mushroom brand, Jolly Mushroom, brings new life to moms’ favorite recipes, transforming them into ‘mush-delicious’ home-cooked meals. 

For the average Filipino home-cook, mushrooms are generally used for a limited number of dishes reserved only for special occasions. With Jolly Mushroom, moms can now incorporate mushrooms in their everyday cooking – a kitchen hack that can come in handy for meal preparation daily.

Moms can now ease into making more mushroom-based dishes and discover how mushrooms can shake up their culinary repertoire. By simply adding a 1 can (400g) of Jolly Whole Mushroom, moms can make any dish extra special and “mush-masarap” – making them “mush-madiskarte” in the kitchen. 

Marilou Acuña, Fly Ace Corporation group product manager for Jolly Food Line, talks about this interesting kitchen discovery that can elevate any dish. “Jolly Mushroom can add depth and flavor to one’s cooking. It can be a hearty addition to your favorite ‘ulam,’ giving it an exciting twist for the whole family to enjoy.”

Jolly Mushroom is also making the transition easier by sharing new takes on recipes for Filipino classics like pork adobo, chicken afritada, and burger steak. More recipes that integrate mushrooms, such as pork giniling and chicken teriyaki, will be added to the brand’s YouTube channel in the coming months.

Jolly Mushroom cans (whole mushrooms, and pieces and stems) are available in leading supermarkets nationwide. For more information about the brand, visit Jolly Eats on Facebook and YouTube, and get access to tips and ideas on how to use Jolly Mushroom in your everyday cooking. 

About Fly Ace Corporation

Fly Ace Corporation is one of the leading food and beverage consumer goods companies in the country today. Propelling limitless multiple-category growth by bringing the best of the world closer to Filipino homes, Fly Ace Corporation’s portfolio of food and beverage products includes house brands and exclusively distributed brands. 

Learn more at www.flyacecorp.com. Here's our Recipe with Jolly Mushroom.

Daily “ulam” recipes with Jolly Mushroom

MUSH CHICKEN AFRITADA 

Ingredients 

1 can (400g)​​JOLLY Whole Mushrooms 400g, drained

1 tablespoon ​​oil

½ kilogram​​chicken, cut into 8 pieces 

1 piece​​​onion, chopped 

4-5 gloves​​garlic, minced 

2-3 pieces​​bay leaves 

1 piece​​​carrots, cut into cubes 

1 piece​​​green bell pepper, sliced diagonally 

1 cup​​​tomato sauce 

1 cup​ ​​water 

1 teaspoon ​​ground pepper 

1 teaspoon​​fish sauce 

2 teaspoons ​​Jolly Tomato Paste 

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a pan. Pan-fry chicken for 10-15 minutes or until brown. Remove excess oil. 

2. Add onion, garlic and bay leaves. Sauté until fragrant. 

3. Add JOLLY WHOLE MUSHROOMS, carrots, green bell pepper, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, ground pepper and fish sauce. Stir well. 

4. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add water if thesauce becomes too thick. 

Number of servings: 7-8 servings 

MUSH PORK ADOBO 

Ingredients

1 can (400g) ​ ​JOLLY Whole Mushrooms, drained

½ kilogram​ ​pork belly, adobo cut (about 2 inches thick) 

2-3 tablespoons​oil

1 piece ​​​onion, chopped

1 head ​ ​​garlic, minced

1/2 cup ​ ​soy sauce

1/4 cup ​ ​vinegar

1 cup​ ​ ​water

1 teaspoon ​​peppercorns

2 pieces ​​bay leaf or laurel leaf 

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a pan. Pan-fry pork for 10-15 minutes or until pork is light brown on all sides. Remove excess oil. 

2. Add onion and garlic, sauté until fragrant. 

3. Add JOLLY WHOLE MUSHROOMS, soy sauce, vinegar, water, peppercorns and bay leaves; let it simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add water if it becomes too dry. 

4. Add. Continue simmering until pork is tender and sauce is reduced. Adjust seasoning if needed. 

Number of servings: 6-8 servings